Mutiny
by Sidney James TD Lemon 1900
Summary: After finally telling the Watchers Council to just shove it, Buffy finds out the hard way that its best not to mess with the old stuffy men in tweed set on revenge on rouge slayers. I suck at summaries, just read and review, I promise this is good!
1. Chapter 1

**Mutiny**

– _by __thatonegirl005_

Disclaimer_: I own absolutely nothing, Joss is boss here. Quotes from this first portion of the story borrowed from Graduation Day pt.1, S3, and a couple from Checkpoint, S5, for purposes of setting up the story and whatnot. Enjoy and review, my fellow Buff-lovers. Feedback does a world of wonders for an author, let me tell you. –_

_(set in between **season 3 and 4**)_

* * *

**__________Chapter 1__________**

Buffy sat on the edge of Angel's bed, listening to his unsteady and shaky breathing. It pained her to see him like this, he was usually the strong one. _Damn, Faith,_ she thought bitterly, as she put a cool cloth on his clammy head. He was so beautiful, even when he was dying- _No. He's not going to die. _She cooed to him, telling him everything was going to be ok. A moment later, she heard a door open. At first she thought nothing of it, but then remembered that it was probably Wesley, hopefully with good news. With one last look at her love, she went to investigate.

As Buffy entered the foyer of Angel's mansion, she saw Giles entering from the patio as well. He looked to Wesley with a tired face. "Did you reach the Council?"

"Y-yes." Wesley replied quietly, standing rather stiffly as usual. "They, um, they couldn't help."

Buffy felt her stomach drop to the floor. "Couldn't." she repeated.

"Wouldn't," he corrected. "It's not Council policy to cure vampires."

Giles shifted his feet. "Did you explain that these were special circumstances-.."

"Not under any circumstances," Wesley said strongly. "And yes, I didn't try to convince them."

"Try again." Buffy pleaded, feeling her throat get tight.

"Buffy, they're very firm." Wesley said softly, avoiding her gaze. "We're talking about laws that have existed longer than civilization."

"And I'm talking about watching my lover die." Of course, Wesley couldn't have any possible idea where she was coming from. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about and I don't care."

Giles walked towards her. "Buffy, we'll find a cure, I promise you."

Wesley ignored the pair of them. "The Council's orders are to concentrate on-.."

"Orders?" Buffy glared at him, arms crossed. Wesley only stared back, worried about where this was going. "I don't think I'm going to be taking anymore orders. Not from you. Not from them." _'_

_Bout bloody time,_ thought Giles. Wesley was lost for words, but only for a moment. He straightened, trying to look like he had some sort of authority over this girl. "You can't turn your back on the Council," he said quite firmly.

Buffy shrugged. "They're in England. I don't think they can tell which way my back is facing."

Giles smirked, but no one noticed. Then Wesley, who seemed to always have a hard time with comebacks to his Slayer's wit, turned to Giles. "Talk to her,"

However, Giles knew where his loyalty was. "I have nothing to say right now." And with that, he took his rightful place at Buffy's side.

"Wesley, go back to your Council…"

"But you-.."

"…And tell them, until they next Slayer comes along, they can close up shop. I'm not working for them anymore.

"This is mutiny." Wesley said dangerously. (As dangerously as he could muster, anyway.)

Buffy thought for a moment. "I like to think of it as graduation."

* * *

Wesley stood outside the mansion, blinking in utter disbelief of what just transpired. Ho would this had happened? It wasn't supposed to be this way. He was raised and trained to be a Watcher, a man of wisdom and power. To have a Slayer and to train her, guide her, and destroy evil with her.

Not to be pushed around by her and her blasted, beloved Scooby gang.

He tugged on his suit coat and straightened his composure. No. It did not have to be like this at all. Something had to be done. A Council without a Slayer would not be tolerated. They would do something about it and he intended to help them. Wesley began walking from the mansion, head held high. "I'll be back," he said quietly.

* * *

_(Two weeks after Graduation)_

"This is crazy," Buffy said.

"Tell me about it!" Willow agreed.

"Beyond crazy,"

"Unfathomable,"

They sighed. It was their first night in a long while with absolutely nothing to do. No apocalypse, no training, no school…just nothing-ness. And the trio was enjoying every second of it. They sat in Buffy's living room, watching some cheap horror flick that Joyce had rented for them. Xander was on the floor surrounded by empty cans and bags of junk food, Willow and Buffy sprawled out on the couch, also engulfed in a sea of junk food and half empty bowls of lord knows what. "Pass the Cheetos." Xander chimed in. Willow obliged without taking her eyes off the television screen.

"Don't wipe your hands on the carpet, or Mom will kill us both." Buffy said absentmindedly, also not looking away from the movie. "She's still trying to get that Surge stain off the throw-pillows."

Xander, whose orange fingers hovered over the carper, quickly wiped them on his jeans. "Right."

"No school, no training, no patrolling…this is great." Buffy sighed with a smile. "I almost don't know what to do with myself."

"Don't complain and enjoy it, that's what." Xander said with a mouthful.

"Have you talked to Giles much lately?" Willow asked.

Buffy shrugged. "Nope. He's been busy looking for a job."

"'S what he gets for blowing up the school." Xander grinned, "I told him, he oughta be a bouncer at the Bronze."

"In tweed?" Willow laughed.

"I think he's finally ditching that look." Buffy added.

"Aww, I liked tweedy-Giles," said Willow with a slight sigh.

"Aww, now we can't make fun of him anymore." Xander mocked.

Willow continued, "He had that old-world, British feel with it. It fit nicely with the librarian thing."

"Yes, but the library's in ashes, Will."

She pouted. "Don't remind me."

Buffy jumped back in. "But yeah, anyway, since he's not my Watcher and Wesley ran off to the homeland, I'm kind of on my own these days. I'm not complaining."

"Huh," Xander turned from the screen to look at Buffy. "You're not gonna go all 'Faith' on us and become a leathery, murderous rebel, are you?"

Buffy gave him a dark look. "I'm already leathery." She shifted, causing her black leather pants to squeak.

Xander shrugged and looked back to the TV. "Well, not excessively."

"No, I'm not rebelling."

"But you ditched the Council, didn't you?" Willow asked.

This earned a sigh from Buffy. "Yeah, but that's because they're stuffy British idiots in suits who were going to let Angel die."

"Maybe that's why he got rid of the tweed," Xander mused quietly, but the others didn't hear.

"I guess that's reason enough to ditch them." Willow nodded her head.

"Damn skippy," Xander agreed, taking a swig of Coke.

Buffy smiled. "That's right. Besides, they're in England. What are they gonna do about it? Can we get back to the movie now?"

* * *

_(Meanwhile…)_

With a sigh, Giles snatched his glasses off his face and let them fall to the desk with a light clatter. His job hunt was not going well at all. The more he thought about it, the more tempting unemployment became. He just…live it up as a bachelor…or something. Yes, a demon-hunting-English-bachelor. The ladies would be swooning anytime now.

Suddenly, the phone rang. His hand flew to the receiver, hoping it would be a job calling back. "Hello?"

"Rupert,"

It was all Giles could do to keep from growling back. "Quentin,"

"How've you been, ol' sport?"

"Spare me," Giles spat, _before I gag. _"What do you want?"

"You know what I want, Rupert. I want my Slayer back."

_My Slayer, _Giles kept from correcting the man. "She's _nobody's_ Slayer, Quentin. Not mine, not Wesley's, and most certainly not the Council's."

Travers chuckled. "Is that what you think? I beg to differ." He cleared his throat, changing his tone from amused to serious. "Rupert, just listen to me for a moment, will you?"

Giles leaned back in his chair. "Seems I have no choice." _Except to hang up the bleedin' phone…_

"This is your chance to redeem yourself. Talk to Miss Summers, convince her to be apart of us again with full, or at least some, cooperation." He paused. "If you can do this, you can come back to the Council, full salary and honour restored." He emphasized the word "salary".

Giles froze. He was once one of the most respected men at the Watcher's Council. And now here he was in sodding Sunnydale, California, "livin' it up" on Friday evenings at the Espresso Pump with his guitar and running around with people half his age. He could have that repect, honor, and money back.

Then again, he quite enjoyed his life in Sunnydale, strange as it may have seemed, even for a Hellmouth. And he could never turn Buffy back over to the Council. It was his duty to protect her. Not his duty as a Watcher, no that was long past it seemed, but his duty as a friend and mentor. "Quentin, you can take my honour and shove it right up your arse for all I care."

He heard a sigh from the other end of the line. "I had a feeling," he grumbled sourly. "Well, Rupert, you had your fair chance. You and Miss Summers both. I'm afraid you know what we do next to rogue Slayers." He paused. "And rogue Watchers."

"I'm not one of your Watchers anymore."

"No? Well you're on our list anyway," Travers said in a slick tone.

Giles gripped the phone harder. "Do whatever you wish with me, but leave Buffy alone. She doesn't need to be in your twisted affairs, she's got plenty to worry about here with the Hellmouth."

"Yes, but what you fail to remember that it is our duty as the Watcher's Council to protect this world from that Hellmouth. It's not just Sunnydale, there are plenty of other places she could be useful at, but all she worries about is that insignificant little town. There is a whole world of evil out there and we are at war with it. We, as the Council, fight that evil, and as the Slayer is our instrument by means of fighting it."

"She is not _your_ bloody instrument!" Giles half shouted.

"I'm afraid she is. Whether you want to accept that or not, Rupert. You once were too. I will not deny it, the two of you are quite the pair, probably the best the Council as seen in years. However, Miss Summers has clouded your mindset and is keeping you and her both from what you were both born to do."

"Leave Buffy alone," Giles said menacingly, but he was beginning to feel like he was talking to a wall at this point.

"That time is past, Rupert. We'll be seeing you both soon." And with that, the line went dead.

Giles slammed the phone back onto the receiver and let out a shout. "Blast it!"

* * *

The spurt of boring nothing-ness did not last long at all for Buffy. The next night, Originally, she, Willow, Oz, and Xander had planned a delightful evening of music and partying at the Bronze, where most of their senior graduated class was celebrating not only the end of their high school career, but the destruction of Sunnydale High. Of course, before the festivities began, Oz went up to the mic to hold a moment of silence for their fellow students who died and were injured after the Mayor's attack.

"He's such a softy," Xander said gently after it.

Willow sighed with loving eyes. "I know, isn't it the cutest?"

The trio had been sitting at their usual table, enjoying the Dingoes and a round of sodas when the commotion occurred. First it was just the faint sound of banging outside the Bronze (which was barely heard over the din), and then an ear shattering shriek. Buffy sighed and set her cup down. "That's my cue."

With a lazy wave from Willow, who barely even noticed as she watched her boyfriend, Buffy was out the door, stake in hand ready to investigate. Sure enough, outside the jammin' warehouse, Buffy found the all too-familiar sight of a vampire preying upon a lone teenager girl. Freshman, from the looks of it.

"Come on now, when are you guys ever going to learn? I practically live here, why do you always pick on people here of all places?" Buffy said lazily, swinging her stake from her hand.

The vamp, who had his teeth baring and about to bite the girl, threw an exasperated look over his shoulder at Buffy. "Oh, even better," he hissed with a smile, going back in on the girl.

"Do you have any idea who I am?"

The undead creep sighed, annoyed that he was being interrupted from a perfectly fine and tasty meal. "Desert."

Buffy tapped her stake to her lip as if in thought. "Mm, crème a la Slayer. Yes, that sounds nice, doesn't it?" His yellow eyes grew wide. "Surprise! The chef sent me out for ya." With that, she quick advanced upon him.

The vampire tossed the girl aside, who squealed with fright as she watched Buffy perform a flying side kick right into vamp's jaw. When she landed back on her feet, she threw a quick look to the girl. "Go back inside and join the party. I think Oz's solo is coming up." The girl did not hesitate for a moment, just gave a quick nod of thanks and fled.

The vampire was quickly back on his feet with his fists clenched and teeth once again baring. "So you're the Slayer? Lotta talk about ya, but you don't look like much." He snarled.

"Looks can be deceiving." She shot back, tossing a couple of punches at his ugly vamp-face. "Like these shoes for example?" Which she used to drive a kick right into his gut, "They look like Prada, right?" He took a swing at her, which she ducked. She popped back up. "Yeah, they're fake. Wal-Mart for twenty bucks. Such a steal, right?"

He let out a hideous growl as he dived at her. Buffy grabbed his outstretched arm as he came and twisted it hard, spinning him around. "My shoes may be fake, but I'm not. Slayer, real deal." After a smirk, she spun her stake forward and plunged it into his chest. Dust.

"The real deal…that you are," said a cool voice from the shadows.

Buffy spun around, but saw no one. "Who's there?" she asked to the dark alley. "And what's your deal?"

After a silent moment, a man, who looked vaguely familiar, stepped out from a corner, wearing a long black trench coat, cigarette hanging from his mouth. "My deal is your deal. This is your last chance, Miss Summers."

"You know, the trench coat does nothing if you're trying to be scary or something. And I'm guessing by the pompous accent that you're from the Council, am I right?" she quipped.

"We've given your Mr. Giles his chance to help, but he seems to be resisting as much as you are for some reason." He said, taking in a long drag from his cig.

Buffy narrowed her eyes at the mention of Giles. "What have you done?"

"Oh nothing," he sighed, sounding almost disappointed, "yet."

She advanced on him. He was twice her size, but of course that didn't worry her a bit. Still, it was hard to intimidate a man when he was looking down to see her flaming eyes. "I swear if you do anything--.."

"If your heart is where you say it is and you truly care about Mr. Giles…and your little friends for that matter, you will cooperate with us." He said quite coolly. He didn't seem to be afraid of her at all…which was bad on his part. Once again, people just didn't seem to know how she handled things; with her fist.

Buffy took a step back, not to back down, but she felt stupid craning her neck to look at the man. "You guys can't do anything to us. I hope you remember that I'm the Slayer. Big muscles, quick reflexes, ya know? I can take care of my friends. Your little gang of weeny Watchers don't scare me at all. Or my friends for that matter."

"You should be frightened, my dear." The man said quietly, blowing a puff of smoke out. "So should I take this as a 'no', you won't come back and cooperate with us?"

"Why should I? Or Giles? You've never helped us, you've never done anything but cause trouble for us and nearly ripped me and Giles apart with your damn little test. Why should I help you guys?"

"Because you belong to us and it is your duty to do so."

"I don't belong to anybody. You can just shove it, for all I care." Buffy spat, crossing her arms.

The man chuckled. "That's what he said. You two are quite the pair, you know."

She assumed he spoke of Giles. "Yes, you can say that."

The man sighed and flicked his cig away to smolder in a corner somewhere. "You'll regret this, Miss Summers."

"I doubt that," Buffy scoffed. A second later, she blinked, suddenly feeling slightly dizzy. Even more disturbing, she found that the creepy dark man was standing much closer to her than she remembered, quickly shoving his hand into his pocket. "Ah…what?" she shook her head.

"Have a good evening, Miss Summers," said the man with a slow bow of his head, and he turned on his heel and walked away.

Buffy was confused. Did something just happen? Perhaps she just scared him off. _We'll go with the latter_, she thought, heading back into the Bronze. She wouldn't let a stuffy British guy ruin her night out with her friends. One vamp dusted, one Watcher scared (or she hoped), she felt her night's work was done.

"Buff, over here!" Xander called from their table, which was filled with more drinks than before.

"Vamp?" Willow asked as she bopped her head to the music.

"Yeah."

"Took a while, didn't it? Or was he just really tough?"

"I…" Buffy paused. Why bother mentioning the man to them? He wasn't going to be a problem. Honestly, the Watcher's Council has never scared her much, they were just more of a bother than anything else. If anything, she'd go to Giles about it, since the Council seems to already have. "Yeah. Rough vamp. But he's dust, no worries," she said with a grin and stole Xander's drink away from him when he wasn't looking.

* * *

Buffy didn't think of her encounter with the Council guy until halfway through her morning jog the next day. She was already out and near Giles' apartment, so she jogged her way over, hoping he'd be up by now seeing as it was a Saturday-…_nevermind. It's Giles. Of course he's up. _

Before knocking on his door, she stopped and bent over, taking a few deep breaths. She hadn't jogged in a while, it'd been a fairly lazy summer so far, she seemed to be slightly out of breath. Thinking nothing of it, she rapped on the door, then entered not waiting for a response. "Giles?" she called, closing the door behind her. "Hello?"

There was movement from upstairs. "Buffy? Oh, er, just a moment…"

She shrugged and walked to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. As she did, she noticed that his stash of alcohol that he normally had on the corner of the counter had dwindled quite a bit. "Fun summer, eh, Giles?" she muttered to herself, turning on the tap.

A minute or so later, she turned to see Giles making his way down the stairs, tying the sash of his robe around him. "Good morning," he said quietly, giving her an odd look. "Are you alright?"

Buffy shrugged and walked to the couch for a seat. "Yep."

He waited for something more. "Is…there something you need? Some reason why you're here so early?"

She glanced at the clock on his mantel. "It's ten-thirty. Don't you normally rise with the sun or something?"

Giles squinted at the clock as well. "Is it? Oh, right then." He shuffled to the kitchen as well, aiming for his teakettle.

"Are…you ok?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, fine, just had a late night, that's all. But is there something you wanted?"

"Just wondering when you were going to come to me about these Council jerks that keep bugging us, that's all." She said nonchalantly. She turned when she heard a clatter from behind her and saw that Giles had dropped the teakettle.

"They've come to you?" he asked sharply, sounding much more awake now, even without his dose of tea yet.

"Don't wig, Giles, he was just talking it up with me, that's all."

"But he came _to_ you? In person?"

Buffy shrugged. "Yeah. What's the big deal, they've been here before."

Giles quickly walked back into the living room and sat on the couch with Buffy, giving her a stern and yet worried look with his green eyes. "Buffy," he said gently, "I don't want you to underestimate the Council."

"I can take them," she said a matter of factly. "Really, Giles, do you really think these old guys scare me much?"

"No, but they should. Buffy, the Council has ways of battling that doesn't always include brawns. They fight discretely and dirty, most of the time."

"Sooo…no punching?" Buffy asked somewhat dumbly.

_It's almost cute sometimes, _Giles thought with a very small smile. "No, Buffy. No punching."

"Oh."

"I just want you to be on your guard for the next couple of days…or weeks. I was going to come to you about this, but I've been trying to sort it all out myself here. I may be an outcast in the Council, but I still have one or two reliable connections."

Buffy only nodded, wondering if now she really should be worrying about this. They sat in silence for a moment, and Giles stood to go tend to his tea once more. Buffy sipped on her water, feeling much better physically, but not mentally. _Stupid Council…_

She took one last gulp of water and decided to leave. She told Giles she'd come back later in the day, when she didn't smell ripe of jogging and he wasn't in his jimjams. "Buffy," he called as she was closing the door. "Just…be cautious, please."

Buffy nodded and looked him in the eyes. "You too, Giles. I'll see you later."

As she left, he sighed and rested both hands on his counter, leaning heavily on them. She really had no idea who they were dealing with and how powerful and dangerous they were. It was killing him that they had to be in this mess. But at least they'd be in it together.

Still, that didn't help much. He sighed and reached for a glass of brandy and poured it in with his tea.

* * *

_AN: Yay! I am intending this to be an all around balanced fic with all the Scoobies being involved...although it does slightly center around Buffy and Giles for obvious reasons. I might even toss Faith in here for a bit, so be excited. But not too much cos personally I'm not a big fan of her until season 7. But yes, stay tuned, I'm already part done with the next chapter, I just wanted to get this one up soon. I'm taking a break on my other Buffy-fics cos they aren't getting much feedback, so if you want more, please let me know! Or I'll just move on to something else. _


	2. Chapter 2

_disclaimer: i own nothing, blah blah blah...ah yes, here we go._

* * *

**_____Chapter 2_____**

Xander hadn't originally intended to get up before 2pm, but the sound of a shattering bottle stirred him from his peaceful, lazy slumber. His parents seemed to be at it once again. He heaved a sigh and quickly got up and dressed, deciding to go take shelter at Willow's as he often did.

He was nearly out the door when the phone rang. At first Xander ignored it, but then turned to answer it, figuring his dad was too busy yelling at his mom to answer. "Hello, Harris' house of hell, how may we service you?" he answered bitterly.

"Ahm, Xander?"

"Oh, sorry, hey G-man."

Giles cleared his throat on the other end of the line. "I was ah, wondering if you could swing by my flat sometime this afternoon."

"Sure, no problem. What's up?"

"I'll explain when you come by…" Giles trailed off as he heard a crash in the background of the Harris household. "Xander, are you sure you're alr-…"

"Yes," Xander quickly cut the man off, already feeling the concern seeping through the phone, "its fine here. I'll be right there," he added before hanging up, thankful that he had someplace besides home to be.

* * *

Xander arrived at Giles' flat very soon after he called, glad for the escape. When he got there, he was greeted by the usual tea and the rare and unusual cookies. Xander paused as Giles set the tray of goodness on the coffee table. "I'm not dying, am I?"

Giles gave him an incredulous look. "What?"

"Short and grave sounding phone call, rare English cookies…something's got to be up here." Xander deduced feeling clever. He paused and raised an eyebrow to Giles. "_You're_ not dying, are you?"

With a cheeky glare from Giles, he sat down . "No, no one is dying…"

Xander stuffed a cookie into his mouth. Little British joys, they were. "Hmph, gwood," he said with a mouthful.

"…not yet, anyway." Giles added.

Xander coughed. "Huh?"

Giles began to polish his glasses as he spoke. "There is a great possibility that we are all in grave danger."

"And this is different from any other day for us…how?" Xander drawled.

"We aren't exactly dealing with demons this time 'round."

Xander thought. "Women?"

Giles smirked at the boy's humor, but only for a moment. "Worse, I'm afraid. But human, yes, which is what makes it complicated since we can't just simply stake them."

"We could have Faith go do it for us, she'd love to." Giles shot a very grave and nasty glare at Xander. "Ok, not funny. Sorry. Go on."

"It would seem that the Council is set on seeking revenge on Buffy and myself, determined to get Buffy back in the progress."

"Oh, well, that's just great then."

"Hardly," Giles stood and began to pace in front on the fireplace. "I am afraid that they might use you and Willow to get to us as well. They know how close you two are to us and I'm worried." He paused. " I don't think Buffy realizes the seriousness of our situation. She still views the Council as a bunch of…poncey suits."

"Like you?"

Giles narrowed his eyes. "Most definitely _not _like me."

"Like Wesley, then?"

"He's a…weak prat. The Council is dangerous. Xander, I'll need your help here."

Xander sat up more, trying suddenly to be more serious and appear so. "How can I help then?"

"Keep an eye on Buffy and Willow. Buffy will hate it if I…hover over her because she knows I'm worried about this and I need you to do this while I get this sorted out."

"And Will?"

"She knows nothing for now, I don't want to worry her. I just thought it best that one of you know, should something happen. However, I am worried that if they find out she's practicing witchcraft, they might go after her as well."

Xander nodded. "Right. Well, worry no more, G-man, you can count on me."

"Thank you,"

* * *

That night, after having promised Giles that he would keep an eye on her, Xander accompanied Buffy on a patrol. He honestly had no idea how he could be of help in this situation, but Giles must have come to him for a reason, and he's learned over time to never question Giles' judgment. For the most part, it was a fairly slow night for the two. As they patrolled, Buffy talked of her dread for college.

"…it just sucks because Willow talks about it all the time…she and Oz are all set up with their classes and I still don't even know what I want to do. The only thing I'm good for is killing creatures of the night with pointy sticks."

"Hey, no worries, Buff, just be smart like me and don't go at all. It's overrated." Xander offered.

"And what's your genius plan in the meantime?"

"Stay at home and live off my parents, of course."

Buffy chuckled. "Mm…and how's that workin' for ya?"

Xander shrugged. "Not bad. Dad is threatening me the basement plus rent, but we'll just see about that. I'm actually thinking about a road trip later on this summer."

Buffy was about to ask more about it when she heard a low growl from behind one of Sunnydale's many crypts. "Incoming," she warned.

Xander turned and raised the mini axe he had in his hand. "Ew,"

From the dark came a large, ugly demon with horns curly from its head to its neck and equally large and menacing claws. It eyed Xander and his axe and growled again, drooling a bit in the process. Xander let out a war-like cry and charged, wielding the axe high over his head. "Xander, wait!" Buffy called. Without even trying, it knocked Xander away as if he were nothing but a gnat. "That's just not nice," Buffy sighed, running at the demon. She meant to go for a tackle, but the creature didn't budge a bit. Buffy stumbled to the ground with a sore shoulder. "Ow…"

"Ow?" Xander asked, bemused, "Ow? You don't 'ow', Buff!"

Indeed, Buffy was worried, she normally wasn't easily hurt. But she had no time to think about out it more as the demon advanced towards her. "Yeah, not good." She leapt to her feet and spun, sending a kick to its face, which, sadly, did not do much except send a sharp pain through her foot. Xander was up too, charging again. He quickly drove the axe into the demon's back, causing it to stop briefly. Xander paused too, watching, hoping it would fall over and die, or at least writher in pain so Buffy could finish it off. However, much to their horror, the demon reached its clawed, black hand back and pulled it axe from his rough back.

"Ooh, crap." Xander squeaked.

Buffy was quick on the demon to kick the axe from his grasp. With a grunt, she threw a few punches at the demon, but to no avail as he grabbed Buffy's fist and held it. With a frightening grin, he twisted her arm, making her scream for Xander.

In an instant, Xander was on the demon's back, trying to beat its head in with his fists. Now annoyed, the creature tossed Buffy aside roughly, taking a hard fall as her body hit the ground and rolled into a tombstone. She moaned and tried to get up, but her weakened body wouldn't let her. "Buff!" Xander cried, "Little help here!" He was clinging onto the back of the demon for dear life as it spun and turned, trying to swat him off.

_What is wrong with me?_ Buffy thought fearfully, getting to her feet. She jogged to the demon and Xander, not entirely sure of her next move, but it had something to do with staying alive and in one piece. However, just before she got to it, she stopped and watched the point of a sword pop out from its stomach. The point withdrew and the demon keeled over, revealing Giles behind the now dead creature as the attacker. Xander scrambled off the demon's deceased backside and excitedly looked at Giles. "Awesome, G-man."

Giles paid no attention though, only keeping his stern, green eyes on the Slayer. "You alright?" she shook her head, lost for words. "Are you hurt?" She shrugged. She was, but she didn't want to say.

"Yeah, Buff, whats up? Not really your best show back there," Xander said, inching away from the demon's body. "What's going on?"

The truth of the matter was that Buffy had only felt this way- weak, drained, and defenseless- once before. Her eyes flashed at Giles, as he gave her a worried stare, but then shook her head. No. He had stood up for her then. He wouldn't betray her trust again. "Giles," she said quietly, "The Council…would they-?"

"Yes." He answered curtly.

She snapped her head up to look at him. Xander held his hands up. "Woah, what?"

"That's why I'm here, Buffy. I made a call earlier- I've got one faithful connection at the Council- and he warned me that they were going to try and take your power away to weaken you."

Buffy shook her head. "But…how? Why?..." she stopped and suddenly remembered the shady fellow she met in the alley behind the Bronze and the split second of it that she didn't remember. He was so very close to her too…it must have been then when he stuck her with the syringe.

"They see you as a danger and they feel the only way to deal with you is to-…"

"-…strip me of my power."

Giles paused. "Yes."

"This is crazy!" Xander burst out. "She's _not _a danger. She's not going psycho evil like Faith, she's still good!"

"Yes, well, try explaining that to the Council. One rogue Slayer was enough to get them going."

Buffy stepped in. "But this is temporary, right? Like…" she began to stutter nervously, "..l..like what they made you give me before…its temporary, right?" Giles said nothing for a moment. "R-right?"

"It should be. However, I can't be sure for how long."

"Oh god…" Xander muttered anxiously.

"But, not to panic, I'll get this sorted out, I promise."

"No," Xander pointed off somewhere in the foggy distance of the graveyard. "Oh god…what's that?"

The three looked where Xander was pointing and saw a very tall and bulky creature heading their way. As it growled and bared its teeth, they saw it was a very threatening looking vampire. Giles raised his bloodied sword and cast a look over his shoulder to Buffy. "Go," he commanded.

"What? No!"

"You're no bloody good here and you're injured. We can handle him."

"Giles, I…"

He narrowed his eyes. "Buffy, I am your Watcher and you will do as I say. Now go!"

"No, you're not."

"May as well be," Giles muttered with an annoyed sigh. "Fine, then respect your elders and do as they say. Go."

"Buff," Xander joined in, anxiously gripping his axe. "Just listen to him and go, please."

She couldn't believe it. She knew she'd be useless in a fight in her current state, but it wasn't in her blood to just turn and run. Then again, the Council had poisoned her blood.

Buffy turned and ran as the vampire lunged at her two friends.

* * *

an: Ok! I've got half of the next chapter done, and I'd really like some reviews so I know how i'm doing so far, so please please please gimme some feedback! I've got so many awesome plans for this story, but I'd like to know what you guys think too. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up in a couple of days. Thanks!


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